Sabres’ Jarmo Kekalainen drops ‘disappointing’ truth bomb on Colton Parayko reaction

The Buffalo Sabres thought they made a big trade at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, acquiring Colton Parayko from the St. Louis Blues. Unfortunately, the trade leaked before Parayko made a decision on the move. In the end, the Blues defenseman did not waive his no-trade clause, remaining in St. Louis for the remainder of the season.

There has been much said about his move in the aftermath of Parayko’s decision. Some of the things said about the deal have been a bit slighted toward the city of Buffalo itself. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen hit back at these comments on Friday after the deadline passed.

“Buffalo is a great city. It’s disappointing to see somebody thinking it’s got something to do with Buffalo. We have a great hockey team that’s winning games. A fun atmosphere. An electric building. Our players are loving it here. The Buffalo Sabres deserve a lot of respect right now,” the Sabres general manager said, via ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski.

Buffalo is a contender in the Eastern Conference at this time. They are second in the Atlantic Division, tied on points with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the top spot. Shoring up their defensive depth was a goal of Buffalo’s heading into the deadline.

The Sabres eventually swung a successful trade for that depth. They acquired Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn from the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. Unfortunately, the failed move for Parayko dominated headlines for some time. And it could continue to be a point of discussion even as the Sabres make their push for playoff hockey.

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